Please help with VA college list for average student

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whoa, OP back--thanks all. Got my preschooler down to bed and I'm ready to do a bit more research. Going to revise my list and send it out to the kid tonight.

Sounds like he's missed some financial aid deadlines--is he basically SOL? What should he be doing over the next, like, two weeks? I want to help as much as I can, but I know he's missed the boat on some stuff.

His mom means well but it sounds like they have not been very organized. Talked to another family member tonight--sounds like he's only applied so far to VCU, ODU, and Norfolk State (I definitely think he can get into a better school than the latter). He also apparently wants to apply to GMU and possibly Marymount.

I'll post my revised list in a bit. Thanks for help--it's been about 20 years since I thought about college applications myself!

Here it is the end of December and he is just now thinking of other schools? I think he has already applied to his likely schools. maybe he could try one or two others. Forbes has a list of schools desperate fro students. Maybe he could add Towson state? I think he has a good list there. VCU is good for pharmacy. the "top" VA schools are more than a reach for him.

[Anonymous]

This is a laid back forum. I don't pay attention to grammar here. The only school on that list I'd even think of attending is Hampden-Sydney. The rest are either mediocre or have been destroyed by affirmative action.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a laid back forum. I don't pay attention to grammar here. The only school on that list I'd even think of attending is Hampden-Sydney. The rest are either mediocre or have been destroyed by affirmative action.

As another poster said, good luck to you. You sound like the type of student most colleges would steer clear of - entitled and waaaaay too confident of your acceptance at any university. Hope you get in... somewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you are joking if you think there is any reason for this kid to apply to uva and william and mary! you can easily google the average SAT scores and GPAs for different schools. I think he needs to be realistic and you do too.

+1

If you're not paying, you need to stop talking about out of state now.

Here's where I think you should focus:

ODU
VCU
JMU
CNU
MWU
Radford

Thx, yes, these are seeming like the places to focus.

Mary Washington is almost certainly out of reach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you are joking if you think there is any reason for this kid to apply to uva and william and mary! you can easily google the average SAT scores and GPAs for different schools. I think he needs to be realistic and you do too.

+1

If you're not paying, you need to stop talking about out of state now.

Here's where I think you should focus:

ODU
VCU
JMU
CNU
MWU
Radford

Thx, yes, these are seeming like the places to focus.

Mary Washington is almost certainly out of reach.

+1
Also JMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you are joking if you think there is any reason for this kid to apply to uva and william and mary! you can easily google the average SAT scores and GPAs for different schools. I think he needs to be realistic and you do too.

+1

If you're not paying, you need to stop talking about out of state now.

Here's where I think you should focus:

ODU
VCU
JMU
CNU
MWU
Radford

Thx, yes, these are seeming like the places to focus.

Mary Washington is almost certainly out of reach.

+1
Also JMU.

+1 for CNU as well. Longwood, Radford, and ODU are the best bets for VA public schools with those stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:you are joking if you think there is any reason for this kid to apply to uva and william and mary! you can easily google the average SAT scores and GPAs for different schools. I think he needs to be realistic and you do too.

+1

If you're not paying, you need to stop talking about out of state now.

Here's where I think you should focus:

ODU
VCU
JMU
CNU
MWU
Radford

Thx, yes, these are seeming like the places to focus.

Mary Washington is almost certainly out of reach.

+1
Also JMU.

+1 for CNU as well. Longwood, Radford, and ODU are the best bets for VA public schools with those stats.

If the kid is an AA male who is not from NoVa, he may get in with stats that are lower than those of an Asian kid from Fairfax. I think some of you are too pessimistic and/or eager to make your schools sound more selective than they actually are.

[Anonymous]

Agree that some folks are being too pessimistic.

Male, AA, not from NoVa -- apply to Mary Washington, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a laid back forum. I don't pay attention to grammar here. The only school on that list I'd even think of attending is Hampden-Sydney. The rest are either mediocre or have been destroyed by affirmative action.

As another poster said, good luck to you. You sound like the type of student most colleges would steer clear of - entitled and waaaaay too confident of your acceptance at any university. Hope you get in... somewhere.

I'd add racist. Yuck. Glad this kid isn't interested in any of the schools my kids would attend.

[Anonymous]

jmu is a reach? humorous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:jmu is a reach? humorous.

It's humorous is it?

The OP says student has a 3.1 WGPA. JMU has a 3.9 WGPA.

That's a reach for this student, humorous or otherwise...enjoy your day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If his long term goal is, or even might be, pharmacy school, then his short term goal needs to be to obtain a B.A., with prerequisites, with the highest grades and the least debt possible. He'll likely need to take out loans to get through pharmacy school, but starting pharmacy school in debt will make that challenging.

A "match" school rather than a "reach" school will also mean that he's more likely to shine in his classes, get good grades, and gain the attention of faculty which can lead to good recommendations, and other opportunities. In addition, a state school with a reasonable tuition will mean that he's less likely to need to work overwhelming numbers of hours, and can concentrate on his studies and opportunities such as internships.

If his grades, and test scores* were significantly higher, I'd feel differently, and advise you to explore merit aid and look at need blind/full need schools, but those are probably out of reach. He should investigate every state school in VA. If he honestly can't find any that meet his needs, then he should maybe look further afield, but that's unlikely to happen. VA has wonderful diversity in their schools.


*I'm assuming that the 1500 is for CR/M/W, and not just CR/M. If it's the former this puts him at the 50th %ile for HS seniors, and below the 50th%ile for college bound kids. If it's the latter, then ignore my whole post.

Was this clarified? It is a big difference.

[Anonymous]

OP- was he able to get any other applications out, considering he missed a of deadlines?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- was he able to get any other applications out, considering he missed a of deadlines?

OP here. I just emailed him today, haven't heard back yet. I'll check with other family members later this week. I have a feeling he's feeling overwhelmed. He said his first choice was UVA, but I don't think he'll bother to apply given how unlikely admission is.

Here's the final list that I send him re: where he should consider applying:

"Reach" schools: (I'm thinking <10% shot of getting in)
UVA
Morehouse

Decent shot of getting in (I'm thinking 25-50%)
George Mason
Hampton (not a legacy but an older relative has attended--not sure if this makes a difference for admissions)
MWU
Marymount (I learned they have a triathlon team--fun! The kid's a runner and swimmer so he might like this.)
University of Richmond
Christopher Newport
VCU
VA Tech (legacy)

Safety schools (75-100% shot of admission)
ODU
Norfolk State


Thanks all for the helpful suggestions. I'll definitely update with the outcome if/when he gets in somewhere in a few months (and hope the thread doesn't get hijacked again, lol!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- was he able to get any other applications out, considering he missed a of deadlines?

Urggh! This is the final list (with U. Richmond & CNU removed).

OP here. I just emailed him today, haven't heard back yet. I'll check with other family members later this week. I have a feeling he's feeling overwhelmed. He said his first choice was UVA, but I don't think he'll bother to apply given how unlikely admission is.

Here's the final list that I send him re: where he should consider applying:

"Reach" schools: (I'm thinking <10% shot of getting in)
UVA
Morehouse

Decent shot of getting in (I'm thinking 25-50%)
George Mason
Hampton (not a legacy but an older relative has attended--not sure if this makes a difference for admissions)
MWU
Marymount (I learned they have a triathlon team--fun! The kid's a runner and swimmer so he might like this.)
VCU
VA Tech (legacy)

Safety schools (75-100% shot of admission)
ODU
Norfolk State


Thanks all for the helpful suggestions. I'll definitely update with the outcome if/when he gets in somewhere in a few months (and hope the thread doesn't get hijacked again, lol!).